Arlington man dies from burns after setting fire at home & shooting his wife, police say
A 61-year-old Arlington man died at a hospital after he started a fire that spread to his home and shot at his wife when she told him to put out the blaze, according to police.
The woman was grazed by a bullet, and an officer suffered minor burns while trying to save the suspect from the fire, Arlington police said in a news release.
It was a strange situation; officers were initially dispatched about 5:45 p.m. Monday to a shooting call in the 800 block of Connolly Terrace, where they found the house on fire. The fire started in the back yard and was spreading to the house, police said.
When officers arrived, they found a 61-year-old woman who had been grazed by a bullet. The victim told police her husband had been dealing with physical and mental health issues. She said he started the fire in the yard and when she told him to put it out, he grabbed a gun and fired at her.
The wife was able to get to a neighbor’s house and asked them to call 911. She was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers found her husband under a pile of burning brush in the back yard. He sustained serious burns and was taken in critical condition to a hospital. Police were notified Tuesday morning that the man had died.
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While pulling the man to safety, one of the officers sustained minor injuries. The officer was taken to a local hospital. “We’re grateful to report that he is OK and was released from the hospital Monday night,” police said in a statement.
Arlington fire crews worked to extinguish the fire Monday night.
Fire crews were not immediately able to go into the house because the man was armed and had shot someone, according to the fire department.
